Not Backing Down
by Gnesd1
Summary: This follows Homecoming. Someone is after Jean and won't stop until she's off the council. They better be up for a fight because she's not backing down.
1. Chapter 1

This takes place after my _Homecoming_ story. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

It felt as though he hadn't seen Jean in ages. He had been stuck on a case that felt like it kept taking them round and round. When they would get a new lead, it would turn out to be a dead end. For Jean's part, her council position had recently been very demanding of her time. Some nights she would already be asleep by the time he got home and at work before he awoke. He was not happy. He missed his wife.

Tonight, she wasn't home yet. Amy had made dinner. She and Peter had already turned in for the night. Lucien opted to wait up for his wife, sipping on a drink, sitting on the couch in front of the fire. By the time she came home, he had fallen asleep. She was exhausted and just wanted to go to bed. When she came into the studio, she noticed Lucien was not in bed and there were the last remnants of a fire. That's when she saw him. He looked so peaceful there slumped over on the couch, still in his shirt and trousers, mouth slightly open, neck awkwardly bent. She hated to wake him but he would be more comfortable in bed. She crouched down next to him, gently stroking his head. She missed him. She could count on one hand the times they had a conversation over the last few weeks. They had both been so busy. Something had to change. She was not happy like this.

She smiled as he started to stir. "Lucien, come to bed."

He opened his eyes, seeing Jean, the corners of his lips rose. "Hi."

She kissed his lips, whispering, "Hi." She rubbed the line of his beard. "Come to bed." She reached for his hand, helping him up. They stood there for a moment in each other's embrace. "I've missed you."

He pulled back to put his hands on her cheeks, touching his forehead to hers. "I've missed you too." They kissed gently at first but the passion grew quickly. They helped each other out of their clothes, falling into bed in a tangle of limbs. Their lovemaking was rushed, partly because they were both so tired and partly because they both had missed each other so much. He lay with his head on her chest, hand on her hip. She had a hand on his arm and the other stroking his hair.

She spoke softly with her eyes closed. "We must find a solution, Lucien. I don't like missing you."

Rubbing her hip, it took him a moment before he responded. "I know. We'll figure something out."

* * *

He had an idea. The next day, he, with help from Amy, packed a picnic lunch and took it to Jean's office. She was in a meeting so he took the opportunity to set up the picnic on her floor. Everything was perfectly set. He took off his jacket and sat down on the blanket. He looked at his watch, she was due to be out of her meeting ten minutes ago. Time went by, he lay on his back, arms folded behind his head. He looked at his watch again, thirty more minutes. He sighed. He was proud of himself at first, now he just felt foolish. As he was debating when he should pack up and leave, she came through the door. She stopped half way through the doorway, looking right at him, a smile slowly appearing on her face as she took in the scene before her.

She closed the door behind her, walking over to him, eyes beaming. "Lucien? What is this?"

He held out his hand for her to join him on the blanket, grinning at her. "I just figured this would be a good way to ensure I get a chance to spend some time with my wife."

She sat next to him and laughed. "My husband is brilliant." She kissed him. "And romantic." She kissed him again. "And so incredibly sweet. Thank you, Lucien."

Barely able to contain his grin, he kissed her again. "My pleasure, love."

* * *

Lucien had come home late, everyone already long since gone to bed. Passing the kitchen, he noticed Jean had left his plate on the table. He was hungry but his aching body wanted sleep more. By the time he made it to the studio door, there was a loud crash at the front of the house. "Bloody hell." He jumped and headed toward the disturbance.

He rushed to see what the sound was, stopping when he saw a large rock on the floor of his surgery with a note attached to it. He crouched down, looking toward the now broken front window. He didn't want to touch the rock, wanting to preserve the evidence. He could read the note from there, _Leave the council or else, final warning_. His brows furrowed, mouth agape.

Jean appeared at the doorway. "Lucien, what in the world happened?"

He looked up at her. "It appears someone would like you to step down from the council." Her lack of surprise had him worried. "Jean? Why don't you look surprised?" He rose from his position on the floor and walked slowly toward her waiting for her reply.

She tried her best to downplay the situation. "It's nothing, Lucien. Just someone trying to make trouble because he doesn't like women in politics."

"Jean." He motioned toward the rock on the floor. "The note says _final warning_. That doesn't sound like nothing." She avoided his eyes so he reached for her chin, lightly pressing, bringing her eyes to meet his. "Please? Talk to me."

She sighed heavily. "I've received quite a few letters. Most of them are just saying how women have no business in politics. But, the others…" He waited, eyebrows lifted. She knew he was not going to be pleased. "The others are quite…threatening."

She waited for him to process. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to mask his anger for whoever this was that was coming after her. "Threatening. I don't suppose you have talked to Matthew about this?"

She shook her head. "I didn't give it any merit. We get angry letters all the time."

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Yes, but, Jean…these are threats." He saw the fear in her eyes and it gripped at his heart. He pulled her into a tight embrace. "It'll be alright. We'll find who this is." He was trying to console her, but more so trying to talk himself down from the rage that was brewing inside.

Someone was after his Jean. God help them if he finds them before the police do.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Lucien cleaned up the mess from the glass. He boarded up the window and called Matthew, who was at Alice's. They arranged to meet the next day. When he walked into the studio, Jean quickly wiped her eyes and rolled over in bed, with her back to him. It had scared her. There was a very small part of him that was glad that it scared her because now she would take it seriously. He sighed and changed into his night clothes. He climbed into bed and heard her sniffle. It broke his heart to see her upset. He reached out and rubbed her back, wondering if he should say something. After a moment, he decided less is more. If she wanted to talk, she would talk. He could be here for her. Urging her to roll over, he said softly, "Jean, come here." She did so immediately, hugging him fiercely, laying her head on his chest. Silent tears falling onto his shirt. Resting his cheek on the top of her head, he continued to rub her back, lulling her to sleep. Sleep did not come for Lucien. He spent the night trying to devise a game plan. He wanted to look through all the notes and mail Jean had received. She would not be left alone either, whether it was he that was with her or the police. She would not like that, he knew. He would stop at nothing to keep her safe and find whoever it was that was threatening her. He sighed again and rubbed his cheek against the top of her head, holding her a bit tighter.

* * *

Matthew sat at the table with Lucien and Jean, listening to Jean tell her story. She had over a hundred letters and notes that date back to her first day on the council. Letters in the mail, notes that appeared in her office and on their car. Matthew closed his eyes and took a deep breath, shaking his head. "You never mentioned any of this to me before. Why is that?"

With a guilty expression, Jean answered, "Honestly, Matthew, I didn't think it was a big deal."

Raising his voice, Matthew countered, "Jean, this individual knows what car you drive. He's apparently made it into your office without anyone noticing! How is this not a big deal?!"

Lucien sat there, arms crossed, giving Matthew a stern look and slowly said, "Watch it, Matthew." Jean put a calming hand on Lucien's arm, almost flinching at how warm his temperature was.

Getting more heated, Matthew looked at Lucien. "And you! How are you so calm?"

Lucien took a deep breath and leaned on the table toward Matthew. Keeping his voice even, he looked him in the eye. "I can assure you, I am not calm inside. I am trying my damnedest to keep it together. Something seems off here, Matthew, and I can't put my finger on it. Losing our temper isn't going to help matters."

Matthew got up and started to pace watching as Lucien began sifting through the mail and notes. "Alright, Jean, you will have an officer with you at all times." Jean tried to object. "At all times! Clear?"

Jean conceded. "Perfectly."

Matthew exhaled. "Alright…I know there were a few men that were rather vocal at the time of the election. We'll look into that." He looked at Jean. "What do you need to do today?"

Jean looked at Lucien and then back to Matthew. "Well, I need to go to my office. I have a few things I need to work on-."

Lucien interrupted. "I'll stay with her today."

Matthew was not budging. "Good. You'll also have Peter with you." Looking at their displeased expressions, he half-smiled. "Humor me?"

* * *

Lucien brought the letters and notes with him to analyze while Jean worked. He had them splayed out on the coffee table. He read one after another, the idea that some men still believed they were superior to women astounded him. He knew they still existed but the idea that so many in his town believed in it enough to write and try to get Jean off the council was appalling. They were disgraceful. Needing a break, he tossed a letter onto the table and sat back against the couch. He watched Jean as she was reading and jotting down notes at her desk. He always said she was smarter than he and it was incredible to see her in such an important role now. He smiled warmly thinking of how proud he was of her. Jean sensed she was being watched and put her pen down. She met his eyes and gave him a shy smile. She walked over and sat next to him, sitting sideways on her knees, her elbow leaning on the back of the couch and her head in her hand. He rested his hand on her thigh. "Anything jumping out?"

He shook his head. "Only my irritation. I cannot believe these men."

She gave him an empathetic smile and began to stroke the side of his head. "I only read the first few I received. After that, I would skim and add it to the pile."

He looked at her tenderly, speaking softly. "How are you?"

She took a deep breath. "I'm…I'm not really sure, Lucien. I feel angry, scared, angry-"

"You said that one already." They both lightly laughed.

"I added it for good measure." She put her hand on his forearm that was resting on her thighs. "Honestly, Lucien, I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner."

He lifted his other hand to caress her cheek. "No, Jean, with everything that's gone on…I can't fault you. You've been so busy taking care of me, keeping up with your job…You have nothing to be sorry for, my darling." His hand slid to the back of her head and pulled her in for a long languid kiss. By the time they broke for air, Jean had ended up on his lap, a knee at each side of his hips. They rested their foreheads together as Jean ran her nails along the back of his scalp and neck. Lucien ran his hands along her back before resting on her bum.

"I think I'd like to call it a day. Maybe take some work home." She kissed his nose. "Besides, we better break it up before someone walks in on us."

"Let them. I have nothing to be ashamed about. I'm making out with my wife." He pinched her bum as he reached in for another kiss, her squeal dying on his lips.

She ended the kiss, pinching his side and climbing off him. She was smiling at his pouting face when a co-worker knocked on her door and entered, handing her some documents. After he left, Jean raised an eyebrow saying, "See? That would have been awful." That earned her a laugh from Lucien.

* * *

They came home and headed straight for the studio, needing each other for a while. With Jean asleep from a multi-round of lovemaking, Lucien put on his trousers and a shirt and headed to the kitchen. He sat at the table looking through the letters. Matthew came home a short time later, joining Lucien. He looked up as Matthew plopped into the chair, looking deflated. Lucien asked, "No leads?"

Matthew groaned, "Nothing." He picked up a letter and shook his head. "How's Jean?"

Lucien gave an exhausted sigh. "She's upset. She feels guilty about not bringing this up sooner but I can't blame her, Matthew. With everything that I put her through with being missing and Cooper Lewis…she's been through a lot."

Nodding, he stared at the table. "I owe her an apology. You two are going to be the death of me, you know?" They shared a smile.

Lucien's smile faded as he looked at the letters, shifting them around. He slapped the table. Seeing the confusion on Matthew's face, he said, "This has nothing to do with Jean being a woman! We've been looking at it from the wrong angle." Pointing at a group of the letters, he continued saying. "These letters all talk about the inferiority of women." He held up another group of the letters and notes. "But these…these make no mention of it. These are from someone entirely different. Someone that wants her off the council. But why?"


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

She woke to light kisses along her neck and face. A smile quickly forming on her face and voice thick with sleep, she said, "Good morning."

He kept his lips on her neck and mumbled, "Shh, I'm busy." She chuckled softly, craning her neck to allow him more room to _work_ , closing her eyes at the pleasure. She loved him so much. She still had to pinch herself, not quite believing he was really here, with her. The time he was missing seemed like an eternity. She thought his clinginess would wear off once they went back to work and normalcy took over. That was not the case and she quite liked it. They had their moments of hectic work schedules but the level of attentiveness and adoration he showed her when they were together, not only alone but in public as well, was new. Maybe that was really the difference because he had always been attentive and adored her in the bedroom but he used to be more reserved when in public. Now he didn't care about anything but her. No second thoughts about appearances or propriety. He went with pure feeling now. He continued his ministrations with her neck, working his way back up her face until he was looking in her eyes. He waited for her to open them before he said, "It's not because you're a woman."

She stared blankly at him. Not understanding what he could possibly mean by that. Playing along she asked, "No? I quite thought it had _something_ to do with it."

It suddenly occurred to him she had no idea what he was talking about and laughed lightly. "No, our suspect is not after you because you're a woman. There's something more. I just don't know why yet. But I do know there is a difference between his notes and your other…fan mail."

She arched an eyebrow. "Oh." She put a hand on his cheek, stroking his beard with her thumb. "Well, that's good then." She kissed him quickly then pulled back to give him a mischievous look before saying, "Lucien, let's talk about this later."

She flipped them so abruptly it took his breath away and he grinned up at her. It still amazed him how she could be so small but so strong. He simply responded, "Yes, dear." Both were smiling big when their mouths met again in a passionate kiss. Lucien broke the kiss to say, "I'll take you to work and then pick you up for lunch. How does that sound?"

Jean was kissing her way down his collar bone to his chest and, mirroring his statement moments ago, mumbled, "Shh, I'm busy."

* * *

Lucien dropped Jean off at her office, checking in with Peter at the front desk. He decided to pop by the station to see how Matthew was doing. They didn't have much to go on at this point. Seeing his friend sitting at his desk as he rounded the corner, he said, "Matthew, any news?"

Matthew shook his head. "I'm looking into previous council decisions, especially ones where Jean's decision may have carried some weight. We're going to start interviewing other council members in a few minutes, see if they've received any notes or seen anything. If you're good, I'll let you sit in." He finished with a grin.

He smiled at his friend. "Scout's honor."

Matthew chuckled. "Oh, no you don't. We already determined you were never a scout." Lucien slapped Matthew on the back.

"Right you are."

* * *

He ran into Jean in the hall just outside her office. "Hello, my darling. Ready for lunch?"

She smiled and said, "I just need to grab something from my desk." He followed her into her office, waiting just inside the door.

When she got to her desk, she noticed a note, much like the previous ones. She picked it up along with the folder it was resting on, hoping that Lucien didn't notice. He did notice her smile fade though as she was reading something.

' _Cambridge Park – 10pm – Come Alone_ '

Squinting his eyes at her, he asked, "Everything alright, love?" She quickly stuffed the note in the folder.

"Yes." She smiled, hoping it reached her eyes. "Yes, of course. Shall we?" Something told him not to believe her. There was something amiss. He looked at her, trying to read her. She chanced a look at him and asked, "What?"

Giving her a quick smile, he dropped it, shaking his head and taking her hand. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

Lunch was lovely but Lucien couldn't help but think Jean seemed a bit preoccupied. She scoffed at him when he told her such, saying it was just work. The ride home was quiet. She gave him a kiss when they walked through the front door and scurried off to take care of some housework. He stared after her. Something was off. He gave an exasperated sigh and turned toward the surgery. There were a few patients coming this afternoon that he needed to tend to.

Jean couldn't remember ever lying to Lucien. She didn't like it one bit. She felt awful but she needed to see what this was about and who was behind these notes. She couldn't risk him getting hurt and the note did say to come alone. Surely, she could handle whatever this person wanted. What she wasn't sure of was how she was going to manage to slip away from Lucien without him noticing. First thing first, she'd have to bluff her way through dinner. She knew he was already suspicious. She finished the rest of the housework and went to prepare dinner. Fortunately, Matthew and Alice joined them for dinner. They were able to distract Lucien from questioning her.

Alice had gone home and Matthew went to bed. Jean was in the study finishing up some work, at least that was her story to Lucien. He went on to bed, never imagining that she would leave the house on her own at night. He came out of the studio in his trousers and a half-unbuttoned shirt, focused on dragging his wife to bed. "Jean?" He went room to room, his smile fading, until he made his way to the study. She wasn't there and the hair stood on the back of his neck. He noticed the folder she had grabbed was open on the desk. He read the note and closed his eyes. "No, she wouldn't." He looked at the clock, 9:55. "Matthew?!" He yelled as he ran to the studio to grab his shoes.

Matthew came out of his room in a hurry. "What is it?!"

Out of breath, Lucien answered, "It's Jean. She snuck out to meet this bugger! We need your car." Matthew was confused but moved quickly.

Lucien explained what he knew while they were on the road. "Bloody hell. What the hell was she thinking?" He closed his eyes, wishing the car would go as fast as his heart was beating. _Please be okay, Jean. Please…be okay._


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Jean came to a stop in the parking area. She came very close to putting the car in drive and going back home. She knew she shouldn't be here and she knew she would never hear the end of it from Lucien and Matthew. However, she needed to know what this was all about. She could handle them later. Another car pulled up next to her. She hesitantly got out and walked slowly toward the other car, pausing when she got to the back of her car.

A man who she didn't recognize got out and stood. "Mrs. Blake. I really didn't think you would be here." His laugh that followed was somewhat evil, making Jean regret her decision to come. "Why didn't you just quit like I told you to? It didn't have to come to this, you know."

Her voice was shaky when she spoke. "I was voted into office by the people of Ballarat! I have a duty to uphold. Who are _you_? What exactly is _this_?"

"This is bigger than you or me. It's a business and you, Councilwoman Blake, are interfering with that business. We can't continue to allow that." He raised his arm and shot in Jean's direction. Hearing another car approach, he quickly jumped in his car and sped off.

Matthew and Lucien saw the flash. Lucien yelled, "No!" Matthew came to a screeching halt near Jean's body. Lucien jumped out, telling Matthew to radio for an ambulance. He did so as he sped off after the suspect.

Lucien fell to his knees by Jean, assessing her injuries. The bullet had entered the left side of her chest, just below the clavicle. He took out his handkerchief and applied pressure. "Stay with me, Jean. Stay with me." His hands were shaking. He felt for her pulse, it was rapid and her skin was clammy. Lucien took off his jacket and draped it over her. He applied the pressure on the wound with one hand and stroked her head with the other hand, leaning down to kiss her face. In between sobs he told her, "Please, Jean. Please don't leave me. Please." Just then, he saw the lights from the ambulance. "They're here, Jean. I need you to hang in there. Please, darling." He looked up as the ambulance attendants were getting the gurney. "Hurry!" They loaded her up quickly and sped toward the hospital.

* * *

Matthew found Lucien in the waiting area and paused a moment as he took in his friend's appearance. He looked dejected sitting there, leaning his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He still had her blood on his hands and shirt. It brought tears to Matthew's eyes to see his friend like this. He walked over to him. "How is she?"

Lucien looked up at him, eyes red-rimmed and hair a mess. "She has a gunshot wound to the chest. She's in surgery." His voice weak as he finished.

Matthew tried hard to keep it together. He cleared his throat and said, "Lucien, let's get your hands washed up." When his friend didn't move, he added, "You don't want her to see you like this, do you?"

Lucien looked at his hands which were still shaking. "I couldn't operate, Matthew. I couldn't do it. My hands…they won't stop shaking." He looked up at Matthew, fresh tears spilling onto his cheeks. "How could I do it for you, but not Jean?"

Matthew sighed and sat next to his friend. "Lucien, you've been through a lot tonight. It's not the same as when I had my accident. And…this is Jean. You're way too close-"

"Dr. Blake?" They were interrupted by the surgeon. They both stood as they waited for the news. "Mrs. Blake will be just fine. The bullet came close but it didn't hit her heart or lungs and missed the subclavian artery. The clavicle was fractured though and we have repaired and immobilized it. Please let me know if you need anything."

Lucien nodded but Matthew wasn't entirely sure if he had heard any of it. Matthew said, "Thank you, doctor." He patted Lucien's back. "Come on. Let's get you washed up."

* * *

Lucien had placed the chair up against the bed. Sitting there, he held her hand, willing her to wake. His eyes were red, tear stains down his cheeks and fresh tears still falling. The mixture of anger and sadness was almost too much to bear.

He didn't hear Matthew enter and for a moment Matthew wasn't sure he had heard him when he said, "You know, she started acting like you when you went missing. Investigating things and going off on her own to find answers."

Lucien slowly looked his way, expressionless. "Are you saying this is my fault?"

Matthew shook his head and gave him a sad smile. "No, mate. This is not your fault. I'm just saying it doesn't surprise me as much that she tried to do this on her own. She's feisty, that one." He put a comforting hand on Lucien's shoulder. "And she'll be okay because of it."

A sob escaped Lucien. "I'm so angry with her, Matthew. I don't know that I've ever been upset with Jean before. It's foreign to me."

Matthew laughed a humorless laugh, squeezing his shoulder. "Join the club! Getting a taste of we have had to deal with, eh? Now you know why we get so cross with you and your stunts." Lucien didn't respond, his eyes still fixed on Jean. Matthew noticed Lucien still had the note in his hand and opted to let it go for now. "I better get going. I want to see if they got anything back on the description of the car." He received a slight nod from Lucien as confirmation that he heard him.

Almost an hour later, Jean began to stir. Lucien kept his solemn stare trained on her face. She opened her eyes and quickly noticed there was no smile on his face, relief didn't show either, but he was holding her hand. That was probably a good sign, she thought. She was able to croak out, "You're cross."

After a moment his voice broke when he said, "That's putting it mildly." He held up the note. "Why, Jean?"

She closed her eyes. "I thought I could take care of it. I didn't want you to get hurt."

He allowed the anger to slip out by way of a snide comment. "No, this is much better." Her eyes snapped open. He silently cursed himself when he saw the flash of hurt flicker across her face. He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry." He knew it wasn't fair discussing this now when she was in no position to fight back. He wiped his eyes and leaned in to kiss her lips. He stroked her hair and said softly against her lips, "Thank you for being okay."

She smiled up at him, only then noticing his blood-stained shirt. Her smile dropped while her own tears fell toward her hair. "I'm so sorry, Lucien." She winced when she tried to reach for his cheek with the immobilized arm, not fully understanding what was going on.

"Shh, take it easy." He took her good hand in his and squeezed. He was still upset but he couldn't stand to see his Jean cry and in pain. "I know, my darling." He wiped at her tears and kissed her forehead. "Just rest now. I'll be right here." He sat back in the chair, holding her hand. He let out a deep breath he didn't realize he had been holding. _Jean is alright_. He kept repeating it to himself while he envisioned finding the man that did this.


	5. Chapter 5

Thank you for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Jean had been home for over a week now. Lucien had been so helpful and attentive. He had been rather quiet though. She knew he was still angry with her. She wondered if she'd ever be able to get him to talk to her about it. Jean decided she would try to get him to open up to her today. She got out of bed and was trying to get dressed when Lucien startled her. "What do you think you're doing?"

She spun around to see him, looking like she just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Her face relaxed when she said, "I can't stay in bed forever. I just want to get up for a bit today. Maybe tend to my flowers." Then softly she added. "Please?"

His expression softened and he walked over to her, gently saying, "That actually might be a good idea. I think I may have killed one of your begonias. There are a few others that are questionable too." He cringed.

Her jaw dropped. "You tried to garden for me?"

Sheepishly, he responded, "Well, _tried_ being the operative word. But, yes…" He brushed a strand of hair from her face, resting his hand on her cheek. "I know how much you love your garden."

She turned her face to kiss his palm. "I love _you_."

He leaned forward, kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you too." He let his lips linger before he added, "Let's get you dressed and start with a cuppa before we tend to your garden."

* * *

Matthew and Alice met for lunch and it didn't take long before the subject of Jean and Lucien came up. They were both worried about them. Neither had been able to get much out of Lucien, which normally one of them would have cracked him by now. Matthew sighed and said, "He just doesn't handle his feelings very well."

Alice smiled at that. "Ha, other than Jean, who does?" _Certainly not either of us._

He smiled at her. _Touché_. "At least he doesn't stuff things up like he used to. Before, he would have made things much worse by now. Maybe that's what is scaring me. He's quiet now instead of spiraling out of control. I don't know which is worse."

"I know. It's eerie."

He reached across the table to take her hand. "I'll try to talk to him tonight." He squeezed her hand. "Jean looks like she's coming along pretty well."

"Yes! She's doing incredibly well. Far better than she should be. She's such a fighter."

"Mmm, similar to you in that regard." He loved making her blush.

* * *

Lucien assisted Jean with the gardening, needing to repot some of the plants. Jean felt now would be a good time to broach the subject. "Can we talk?"

Lucien gave her a questioning look but answered, "Of course. What about?"

She smiled at him. "You've been very quiet since..." She motioned toward her shoulder. "We need to get through this, Lucien. I know you're still upset with me but-"

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Darling, I'm not angry with you." He could tell she didn't believe him. "Initially, yes. But that was because you scared the hell out of me." He continued, "Jean, can you honestly tell me you would have gone to meet this man on your own before you had met me?"

"What are you talking about, Lucien?"

"My recklessness. My influence." After a moment he continued, speaking softly. "You never would have pulled a stunt like that."

"That's what this is?! Self-pity?" Her eyes narrowed in irritation. "You're absolutely right. I wouldn't have done something like that before. There are a lot of things I wouldn't have done in my previous, sheltered, naïve life, Lucien. You think you what, _corrupted_ me?" She laughed, less the humor. "Lucien, you have given me so much. You held me up and showed me a different world. You helped boost my confidence. Maybe I'm a bit too confident at times but…no, you didn't make me reckless." She caressed his cheek, rubbing her thumb along his beard.

"No, Jean. You lifted me up. You have saved me time after time. You are the good in this relationsh-"

She put her fingers on his mouth to stop him. "We are going to have to agree to disagree here." Smiling, she removed her fingers and replaced them with her lips.

After a moment, he broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers. "Let's go sit down. You've been on your feet too much today."

She couldn't rebut that. Just as he got her settled on the couch, the phone rang. They both groaned, knowing what that meant.

* * *

There was a man's body stuffed into the trunk of an abandoned car. The abandoned car happened to match the description of the getaway car involved in Jean's shooting. Watching Lucien walk over to the car, Matthew waited until he was closer and said, "Name is James Peterson. I'd say he was the shooter." He watched his friend closely; the tensing of his jaw betrayed his deep frustration. He knew Lucien wanted time alone with this bloke. Now he would get that time, but no satisfaction would come from his dead body. "I'll see if Jean can identify him." To his surprise, Lucien didn't protest. He just nodded, silently acknowledging he would meet the body at the autopsy. He watched Lucien leave, vowing they would talk later.

Alice was prepping the body when Lucien arrived. No words were said. She sighed inwardly wondering how she should proceed. Lucien put his coat on and applied gloves. He paused when he saw the man's face. This was the man who almost took Jean from him. He caused her pain and suffering. He had never seen him before but he loathed him. He wanted so badly to punish him but he had no way of doing so now. He was still staring at the body when he heard Alice say, "Matthew has Jean. She wants to try to identify the body." To which he simply nodded. Alice couldn't take it anymore. "Lucien, please talk to me."

He gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Alice. I'm just…angry and frustrated." He looked back to the man's body. "I wanted him alive. But now…" He let out a deep breath. "Now we'll just have to see what answers we can get from his body. Shall we?"

Alice was happy with that. At least it was something. Lucien pointed out a bullet wound to the back of the head. "Looks like this was an execution." They had just finished up the autopsy when Matthew walked in with Jean. She locked eyes with Lucien as soon as she came through the door.

Alice lowered the sheet so that Jean could look at his face. Jean was expressionless, "That's him. He shot me." She turned away and left the room. Lucien was right behind her.

She stopped off to the side once she entered the hallway. "Jean. Are you alright?"

She smiled at him and reached for his hand with her good arm. "Yes, I'm fine, Lucien." She squeezed his hand to reinforce her answer. "Right before he shot me, he told me this was bigger than him or me."

Lucien cocked his head to the side, "That would explain why he was executed. Someone not happy with his lack of follow-through, perhaps?" Matthew joined them and Lucien said, "I'm done for the day. Wait for me while I get my coat."

When Lucien came back, Matthew said, "Peter is downstairs. He'll drive you two home." He was surprised when he didn't receive any flak.

Once out of the building, they almost made it to Peter when Lucien noticed a car driving by slowly. He wouldn't be able to swear whether he saw the gun first or heard the shots. The only thing he knew for certain was his need to cover Jean.


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

It all happened so fast. There were three loud pops while Lucien forced her down to the ground, lying half on top of her. He was breathing heavily, stroking her face and hair, his face almost touching hers. The fear in his eyes mirrored hers, she was certain. He asked breathily, "Are you alright?"

For as quick as he moved to seek cover for her, he was still considerate of her previous injury. That impressed her. "Yes, I think so." Just then, she noticed a trickle of blood run slowly across his neck toward the front of his body. "Lucien!" She reached her hand up to touch it and show him. "You're bleeding!"

He kissed her forehead and moved to get off her, helping her up. "It's just a scratch, Jean. I'm fine." He looked to see Matthew shuffling over to them. "You alright, Matthew?"

Alarmed at the sight of blood saturating his friend's collar, he answered, "I'm fine, Lucien. You uh…" He looked back at the building thinking they should get him inside to have Alice treat him.

Reading his mind, Lucien responded, "I'm fine, Matthew. It's just a scratc-"

Jean interrupted, "A scratch that's bleeding an awful lot, Lucien!" He knew he must be bleeding quite a bit as he could feel blood dripping down his back, but he was trying his best to downplay it to keep Jean calm.

Alice came running outside to see what happened and joined them. "Is everyone alrigh-" That's when she saw it. "Lucien!" She collected herself and quickly ushered he and Jean inside so that she could dress his wound.

Matthew stayed behind to secure the scene and brief Bill Hobart as he arrived. Just as he was finishing up with Bill, Peter drove up. He had chased after the shooter as soon as the shots were fired. The look of frustration on his face told Matthew they must have gotten away. They began their investigation of the scene as Matthew went inside to check on his friend.

Lucien was sitting there in his singlet, cringing as Alice finished sewing the last stitch when Matthew walked in. "These dickheads are getting bolder!"

Jean twitched at that, partly because she was concentrating so hard on Alice's work and partly because of the vulgar term. She was assisting Alice, holding gauze just below the "scratch" to try catch any blood.

Lucien agreed. "Yes, I noticed that as well." He knew Peter had taken off after them. "I take it Peter was unsuccessful?"

Alice finished applying the bandage and grabbed a surgical scrub top from the cabinet and handed it to Jean. She started to clean up after herself as she listened intently to Matthew's response.

Unable to mask his irritation, he answered, "Yesss, they got away…again. Look, maybe we should think about sending you guys away for a bit. Somewhere safe."

Jean helped Lucien (as best she could with the one arm) get his singlet off and put the scrub top on. "Absolutely not! I will not hide from these people. I was voted in by the people of Ballarat and I will be damned if I let some… _filth_ …keep me from doing my job." Lucien tried hard to contain his grin. He was so proud of her. Although, he'd be lying if he said there wasn't a part of him that thought it might be a good idea to get away for a spell. "Besides, wouldn't that be giving them what they want, me out of the way?"

Lucien raised an eyebrow at Matthew. "She does have a point."

Matthew knew it was a long shot anyway. _Time for plan B_. "Very well. I'm placing you both on house arrest until this nutter is found." He walked out ignoring their protests, a small smile forming.

* * *

Almost a week later, Jean and Lucien were going stir crazy. Jean, with Amy's help, had reorganized the kitchen cupboards and rearranged the furniture in the parlor three times. Lucien, in Jean's words, had almost blown up the house. "Conducting an experiment." Twice. Of course he told her using that term was a bit of an exaggeration. She did not agree.

Having called a truce, they were now sitting on the couch in front of the fire, Lucien's arm around Jean. She leaned into him and had her hand resting on his thigh. Jean was getting cranky about her arm being immobilized, especially during times like this. Which is why her question came out in a bit of a whine. "How much longer do I need to be in this thing?"

Lucien smiled but sympathized. Kissing her temple, he said, "At the rate you're healing, probably just another week." She wasn't thrilled with that answer but she accepted it. She moved to give him a chaste kiss on the lips then resumed her position.

A moment later, Lucien asked, "Jean, how well do you know your fellow councilmembers?"

She thought about each of them before she answered, "Oh, nothing on a personal level. I just know their reputations and what I've observed. Why?"

"I have an idea. Come with me." Intrigued, she followed him to his study. He cleared the chalk board so that he had a clean slate to work with. He wrote out all nine names of the councilmembers, including Jean's. As she told him about each one, he listed the appropriate trait under the corresponding councilmember's name.

Lucien looked at the list and studied it. "Right. That makes three possible good people out of the nine." Shaking his head, he looked at Jean, neither sitting well with these numbers. Granted, it was just a theory but it would not be surprising if the remaining six were in fact up to no good.

* * *

During dinner, they told Matthew all about the theory they had about a possible corruption within Town Hall. They just didn't know the who or what it was about. They gave him some ideas about who could be on the take and who were obvious ones that more than likely were not capable. He agreed it was worth a shot to get those that could be innocent in protective custody for now. He phoned the station and told Bill to have Councilmen Tyler Rogers and Ricky Wilson picked up.

Walking back to his spot at the table, he said, "Bill is heading over to pick them up now. As for interviewing them, I'm not sure what else they can give us. We interviewed them before and neither one of them had anything substantial to give us."

Lucien shook his head. "Matthew, I don't think we were asking the right questions before."

Matthew cocked his head giving that some thought. Perhaps he was right. They finished their dinner and lingered with dessert as they worked possible reasons for the corruption. The phone rang and Amy got up to answer it. "It's for you, Chief Superintendent."

He sighed knowing that doesn't usually mean good news. "Thank you, Amy."

Amy excused herself to bed while Matthew was on the phone. Lucien looked to Jean and asked, "More tea, my darling?"

"No, I think I'm just about ready to turn in. Thank you, though."

Softly, he said, "Of course." They looked at each other with a longing to couple but both knowing that wouldn't be possible until Jean was healed. They settled for a gentle kiss on the lips.

Matthew hung up the phone. Clearing his throat, he walked back to the dinner table, looking between Jean and Lucien. He decided the best way to tell them was to rip off the bandaid. "Councilman Rodgers was just found floating in Lake Wendouree."


	7. Chapter 7

Apologies for the long delay! Thank you for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Lucien watched Jean. She was quiet. In shock, of course. She didn't quite know what to say. This was too intense. Now an innocent man is dead. And for what? Matthew and Lucien exchanged looks. Matthew said, "I better get down to the station. Alice will take care of the autopsy. I'll let you know what we find out."

Lucien nodded and kept his eyes on Jean as he spoke. "Thank you, Matthew."

Jean busied herself with the remaining dishes. She could feel Lucien's eyes on her as she moved about the kitchen, thankful he was giving her the time she needed to process the news. She felt she needed to say something. "He was a good man. Tyler was." Her voice was shaky. "You know, he mentored me somewhat when I first started. He was very warm." Her voice tapered off as she stared into the sink.

Lucien rose from his seat, walked over to her, wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. He was relieved when she rested back against him, allowing him to comfort her. Softly, he spoke. "We'll figure this out, love."

She laughed a humorless laugh. "When, Lucien? How many more have to die before we do that?" She closed her eyes and squeezed one of his arms that was wrapped around her. "I'm sorry. I'm just…"

"No apologies necessary. Come on, let's go to bed."

She turned in his arms and gave him a half-smile. "I don't think I could sleep right now."

He smirked at her. "Well, try at least. For me?"

* * *

As the days passed, the tension grew. It seemed they were at a standstill with information about the case. Jean's visit to the doctor was a welcomed event because it meant they were able to leave the house.

She was relieved the moment the doctor took the brace off. He warned her not to do too much too soon. "Just follow these instructions and you should be as good as new in a few more weeks."

"Thank you so much, Doctor."

"Of course." Looking at Lucien, he added. "Good to see you again, Doctor Blake."

Lucien smiled back at him. "You too, Sam. Thank you." Lucien waited for the door to close before he turned back to Jean, who was grinning from ear to ear as she moved her arm around. He laughed, understanding her inability to contain her excitement. "Well? How does it feel?"

He put his arms around her and she gingerly put her arms around him. "Tender and stiff but…very good. I couldn't wait to do this again. It feels so good." The last bit was muffled as she leaned her face into his shoulder.

They held each other for a long moment. Lucien kissed her hairline. "Come on, we should get going. Matthew's going to start to worry what's keeping us."

She squeezed his middle, wincing at the discomfort in her shoulder but relishing in her ability to do so. "If we must." She pulled back and met his lips with hers.

They broke the kiss smiling, their eyes shining at each other. "Let's go home."

* * *

Dinner was almost ready. Lucien was setting the table when he saw Matthew walk in. "Matthew, you're just in time."

"Do we have room for one more?"

Jean and Lucien looked up to see Charlie. They both beamed. "Charlie! Of course we have room!"

Jean kissed him on the cheek. "It's been too long. It's so good to see you!"

Charlie smiled. "It's always good to be back."

Lucien looked at Matthew, who looked like a load had been lifted off his shoulders. Curiously, he asked, "So, Charlie, what brings you to town?"

Matthew interjected, smirking. "Let's all sit down and get started on dinner first. It's a long story and we can't risk Jean's beautiful dinner getting cold."

Jean and Lucien looked at each other with brows furrowed, confused by Matthew's behavior. They made quick work of getting the remaining dishes on the table. They sat down and waited for someone to start talking. As Lucien was dishing out the chook, he looked between Charlie and Matthew. "Alright, one of you say something!"

Matthew smiled. "I think Charlie has found the brains behind the corruption case."

Jean gasped. "Really? Why? How?"

Charlie put his hand up. "I know, why would a detective from Melbourne be involved in a case in Ballarat? It…let me just start from the beginning. I'll try to just give you the short version. Jean, I have missed your cooking. This looks delicious." He took a big bite.

Jean put her hand on Lucien's and smiled as he interlocked their fingers. "Thank you, Charlie."

Charlie smiled. He had missed more than just Jean's cooking. He loved seeing these two happy and affectionate with one another. They had come a long way and had already suffered through so much. They deserved to be happy.

Matthew tore him from his reverie, speaking with his mouth full, "Well, get on with it then!"

Charlie laughed. "Sorry! Right. So, I was investigating a corruption case of some Melbourne political officials. A lot of unexplained money, three dead bodies, and two life-long friends right at the center of it, Ralph Donovan and Robert Harris. Then the trail ran cold. We couldn't find them anywhere. Until now. We got a lead to look into the Ballarat Council. That's when I called Matthew and he told me all about the excitement here. It sounded exactly like Donovan and Harris, just a bit sloppier."

Lucien was the first to speak, putting it together. "They needed total control of the council here and they couldn't very well do that with Jean there. They knew she wouldn't allow for the corruption. That's why they murdered Rodgers! From what Jean said about him, he wouldn't fold either."

Jean softly spoke. "Do you know where they are?"

Charlie shook his head. "Based on our lead they are holed up here in Ballarat somewhere. It's just a matter of time though, Jean. We have every officer looking for them. I gave their pictures to the Courier and they are going to be on the front-page tomorrow." He smiled at her. "We have them, Jean."

Matthew seemed equally as excited as Charlie. For so long they didn't have any idea what was going on. Now they have names. He couldn't understand why Lucien and Jean weren't jumping for joy. Jean looked at Lucien, who was staring at the table. Both seemed uneasy. Matthew took a bite as he watched the two of them. "What is it? I thought you'd be happy."

Jean feigned a smile for him. "I am, Matthew. It just all seems so…"

"Simple." Lucien finished her statement.

"Yes. Also, I think I'll save my celebration for when they are caught and locked away." Lucien squeezed her hand.

* * *

Robert Harris was packing a bag as his cohort, Ralph Donovan paced the room. "I say we cut our losses and get out of town."

Ralph couldn't believe his friend was giving up. "You want to leave, go ahead. I have some unfinished business in Ballarat."

Robert rolled his eyes. "Give it a rest, Ralph. Let's go."

"No. This woman is the reason we failed. We were doing just fine until she showed up!" Robert's words helped to fuel his anger.

He couldn't believe his friend was so hung up on this Blake woman. "No, Peterson stuffed this up! I told you he was a liability. He ruined it for us in Melbourne and he ruined it for us here. Let's go while we still have a chance to set up shop somewhere else."

"You want to go, then go! I'm telling you she must pay. I will see to it!"

Grabbing his bag and his hat, Robert said, "Well, I hope your revenge is worth it, Ralph. Good luck to you, mate." He paused at the door, knowing it would probably be the last time he would see his friend.

Ralph watched his friend go and dropped into the chair. Running his hands through his hair he began to devise a plan to kill Jean Blake.

* * *

Lucien and Jean had changed into their night clothes and joined each other on the sofa in front of the fire, Lucien's arm around Jean's shoulders, her arm resting on his thigh. "It will be nice to get back to normal. We've got such a mess to clean up at Town Hall."

"Jean, I don't know that we should do anything just yet. Let's give the police some time to get these guys locked away."

She turned her head toward him and smiled. "Now that doesn't sound like my husband. Playing it safe, are we?"

He leaned in to kiss her. "Where you are concerned? Absolutely." As the kiss grew deeper, Jean positioned herself so that she was straddling Lucien, her arms around his shoulders.

She broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his, both trying to regain steady breathing. "I love you, Lucien."

He smiled and lifted them both off the sofa, carrying her to their bed. Before laying her down, he said low and softly, "I love you more each day, Jean."


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Jean wasn't quite ready to leave her husband the next morning. After her bath she began drying herself off when she caught her fresh scar in the mirror. It was ugly but she smiled when she saw it. She remembered Lucien taking his time the night before, gently kissing all around it. She wrapped the towel around her body and looked toward his sleeping form, the sheet bunched at his belly. Her heart still skipped a beat every time she looked at him. She walked over and lay sideways on the bed so that she could rest her head on his stomach. She watched him sleep for a few minutes until the urge to have him awake became too much. She turned slightly and began kissing his stomach gently. He smiled with his eyes still closed and reached for her head, caressing it. His voice was thick with sleep. "Morning, love."

She smiled and moved so that her face was inches from his and whispered, "Good morning." She kissed his lips until he rolled them over.

They were both breathing heavily, his eyes were now open and gleaming. "Right. That just might be the best wake up call I've ever had." His eyes focused on her scar. "How's your shoulder this morning?"

She put her hand on his cheek, rubbing his beard with her thumb. "Tender but it'll be fine."

He nodded and kissed her chin, resting his head on her chest. "What are our plans for today?"

" _Our_ plans?"

"Yes, _our_ plans. I'm not letting you out of my sight until both of those men are behind bars." Smiling at her sigh he continued, "So, what are _our_ plans for the day?"

If she was being honest, she was perfectly happy having him right next to her all day but she couldn't let him know that. Although she could tell he wasn't really buying her attempt at being put out by his shadowing her. "If you must. I need to go to Town Hall. That might take all day though."

"Right, I'll bring a book. I'll go get ready then." He made no move to get up and she was grateful, content with staying here curled up with him in her arms.

* * *

Robert Harris was picked up just outside Bendigo. He was more than willing to turn on his friend as soon as Matthew and Charlie threatened to pin the murders on him. He told them Ralph Donovan was planning to get revenge on Jean, blaming her for their demise. Matthew and Charlie looked at each other, knowing they needed to call Lucien.

Harris continued. "I'm telling you, Ralph went off the deep end. I was fine with the other stuff but as soon as he let Peterson handle the Ballarat business…that was it. He was reckless. Then, when he stuffed up the mess with the Blake woman, Ralph killed him. That's when I came to Ballarat. You know, to try to talk some sense into him. He wasn't having any of it. He killed Rodgers too. That's when I knew. I knew I had to get away from him. And when he saw me packing my things, that's when he told me he was staying to end things with the Blake woman." Matthew quickly left the room to call Lucien while Charlie finished up.

* * *

Lucien walked up to Jean, who was waiting at the front door for him, and put on his hat. "Presentable?"

She smiled at him and said, "Very smart, Doctor Blake." He leaned in for a soft kiss that quickly deepened, wrapping his arms around her. Jean broke the kiss. "We do that anymore, we won't be leaving here today."

He squeezed her and nuzzled her neck. She could just barely make out him saying, "S'kay with me."

She laughed and slapped his bum before she walked out the front door. "Come on, you. I have work to do."

He stared after her, with a dopey grin on his face. _God, I love this woman_.

* * *

Charlie walked over to Matthew's desk just as he slammed down the phone. Staring at the phone Matthew said, "Where the hell could they be? I just tried him four bloody times." Looking around he said, "Constable! Get over to Blake's house and call me when you get there."

"Yes, sir."

Charlie snapped his fingers. "What about Town Hall? Think they went there?"

Matthew closed his eyes and shook his head. "Knowing Jean, yes." He opened his eyes and grabbed the phone.

* * *

Lucien and Jean were walking hand in hand as they approached Town Hall. He grabbed the front door, holding it open for her. "My lady." He gestured for her to go through.

Her eyes sparkled at him. She patted his bearded cheek as she said, "Thank you, my dearest." She gave him a quick peck once he joined her in the lobby, taking his hand again.

They were almost to the stairs when they heard someone call his name. "Doctor Blake!" He spun around to see the receptionist at the front desk motioning for him to take a call.

He turned back to Jean. "You go ahead. I'll be right up."

"Okay, if I'm not in my office, I'll be in with the Mayor." He nodded and watched her start up the stairs before he walked over to the desk.

He grabbed the phone, thanking the receptionist. "This is Doctor Blake."

"Blake!"

"Matthew, I can explain. We-" He thought he was about to get a lecture for leaving the house. His eyes furrowed at Matthew's tone when he interrupted him.

"Blake, listen! We have Harris in custody. He confirmed everything. He also told us Donovan is after Jean. Charlie and I are heading your way. You two sit tight until we get there. Alright?" He looked toward the stairs and his heart dropped. "Alright?!"

"Yes. Yes, of course, Matthew." As he hung up the phone, he reached into his breast pocket and grabbed the picture that Charlie gave him of Donovan and Harris. He looked at it closely, then scanned the room as he headed up the stairs to Jean's office.

Ralph Donovan had bleached his dark hair and shaved his beard, successfully making him unrecognizable as he walked past Lucien at the front desk minutes prior.

* * *

Lucien walked into Jean's office and she wasn't there. He tried to remain calm. _She said she'd be with the Mayor._ To try to ease his nerves, he walked over to the Mayor's office. The door was open and his receptionist wasn't at her desk. He frantically went office to office looking for Jean. His heart started beating again when he heard the sound of her voice. He closed his eyes for a moment before turning toward her voice.

"There you are. Who was on the…" It was only then she noticed how pale he was. "Lucien, what is it?"

Not wanting to scare her, he simply said, "I couldn't find you. We should go to your office."

Ralph watched as they walked down the corridor. _That damn doctor is in the way._ _This is going to be more difficult than I thought._ Unfortunately for them, he was just mad enough to be up for that challenge.


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Jean stood still, watching Lucien as he closed her office door. He continued to look at the door as he followed her, running into her. "Umph. Jean!" He put out his arms to catch her.

She wasn't fazed as she was more interested in why he was acting so skittish suddenly. She crossed her arms. "Lucien, what on earth is going on? Who was on the phone?"

He opened his mouth but thought better of trying to pass off some trumped-up story. He rubbed her shoulder and motioned toward the couch. "Let's sit." She rolled her eyes but played along.

They sat there for a moment, Jean's patience level dwindling the longer it took Lucien to begin. "Lucien, just say it!"

He looked sheepish. "Right. Well, it seems Matthew has one of the men in custody and he has confirmed the corruption."

"Lucien, that's great news!"

"It is. It is." He looked away.

She furrowed her eyes at him. "What else?"

He maintained eye contact with her as he continued. "The other man is still on the loose," his voice lowered, "and he's after you."

She didn't think it should surprise her but she was still taken back. "Why now? What could he possibly gain from hurting me?"

Lucien worked his jaw back and forth. "Revenge, I'm assuming." He put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him.

She lifted her chin and steeled herself. "Well, it'll be his loss." He squeezed her, believing in her strength wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, it did little to quell his fright of this madman that was out for his wife's blood. He turned slightly and kissed her head. They sat there for a while, reveling in each other's comfort.

A knock at her door startled them, both chuckling for being so jumpy. As they rose from the couch, they could hear Matthew's voice on the other side of the door.

"Yes, come in." Jean walked around to the other side of her desk and sat down.

Matthew walked in and caught Lucien's eyes as they shared a worried look. He nodded and then looked at Jean. "I suppose he filled you in then?"

Jean rummaged through the paperwork on her desk. "Yes, he did. Thank you, Matthew."

"Good. Good." He looked at Lucien again and then back to Jean. "Right. So, let's go then."

She looked up. "Matthew, I'm not going anywhere. I have work to do. This…poor excuse of a man has kept me away for long enough." Proud of herself for cleaning that up, as opposed to what she really wanted to call him.

Matthew looked to Lucien again, who was no help, seeming to be focused on some interesting spot on the carpet. "I don't suppose you have anything to say." Lucien put his hands up, not wanting to get caught between the two of them.

That just angered Jean more and raised her voice. "Matthew, I am not backing down! It would be a disservice to the people of Ballarat if we continued like this. Things need to be cleaned up. And now!"

Matthew scowled, raising his voice to overpower hers. "Oh really? How much of a service to the people will it be when you GET YOURSELF KILLED?!"

Lucien growled, "Enough!" He looked to Jean who raised an eyebrow at him, fire still in her eyes. He half-shrugged, half apologizing while still trying to hold his ground. She accepted and relaxed a bit. "Look," he said, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I can see both sides here. Jean, I understand the need to fix things here. And we will. But, try to remember you were almost killed the last time you stubbornly stepped in the path of danger. I cannot and will not allow that to happen again. We promised each other we would both be smart about staying out of harms way, taking on the world _together_ , yes?" She nodded, looking down, knowing he was right. "Matthew, can we post a couple men up here and go with her wherever she goes? Would that be acceptable for now?" Looking back and forth between Matthew and Jean, both nodding in acceptance.

Matthew cleared his throat. "I'll just work on the arrangements then." He left the office to find Charlie.

Jean looked at Lucien, smiling and shaking her head. He was intrigued. "What?"

She stared at him as she walked over to where he was standing. "It's just quite a sight to see. Lucien Blake fixing things instead of making a royal mess. Quite the role reversal." She kissed his cheek. "It's lovely. Thank you."

He smiled bashfully. "Ah, well, I think it's safe to say that is entirely your doing, my darling. I would not have learned it had I not had your influence over the years." He leaned in and gave her a chaste kiss, turning serious. "I mean it, I cannot lose you, Jean."

She caressed his cheek and nodded. As she leaned her forehead to rest against his she softly said, "I know. You won't."

* * *

The tension-filled days turned into weeks as the town worked to restore Town Hall. Jean worked closely with the Mayor and organized a special election to replace those members who had corruption and fraud charges laid against them. Harris had given them names of five councilmembers. That election was still a month out but she was proud at all they had accomplished in such a little amount of time. She was excited for the candidates and things looked promising for Ballarat.

True to his word, Matthew kept two of his men with her at all times, not including Lucien. It took him a couple weeks before he was comfortable leaving Jean's side, trusting the police to keep her safe, but he had a job to do and he begrudgingly did it. All the while, Donovan was watching her everywhere she went, waiting for the perfect moment. Now, he noticed, might just be that moment. They were at the market. She had two young constables with her but they seemed to be in the middle of an argument, trailing behind the Blake woman more and more. She wasn't paying attention to this, concentrating more on her shopping list. Donovan's mouth began to water as he was so close. Just as he was about to make his move, he noticed she stopped and was watching another customer suspiciously as he got close to her. This got one of the constable's attention. As the man reached for her, the constable cut him off at the pass, pinning him against the wall.

Donovan cursed the man and turned to leave the market, vowing her day would come soon.

* * *

As they were turning down their bed, Lucien said incredulously, "So, the man was just a fan?"

"Don't sound so surprised!" Her lips curving upward. "But, yes, apparently."

Eyes shining, he responded, "Speaking as your number one fan, I am not surprised at all of the fact that you have fans. I'm merely…intrigued at this individual's nerve to think he can just come up to you and try to touch you."

"He said he wanted to touch me to see if I was real." She rolled her eyes. "He's not all there, poor chap."

Giving her a squint of his eyes, he smiled. "Hmmm, he actually might be onto something." Lucien said as he crawled on the bed toward her.

Jean grinned ear to ear at his playfulness, shrieking as he tickled her. "Lucien!"

He hovered over her, chuckling, nuzzling her nose with his. Before losing himself in her kiss, he said, "Yes, very real."


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry for the long delay! Life has been hectic and my muse has been nonexistent. Nonetheless, hope you enjoy!

* * *

Jean smiled, not opening her eyes, enjoying the sensation of her husband's lips trailing kisses along her neck and bare shoulder. They refused to give in to the fear of Donovan still being on the loose. There was almost a sense of normalcy in their lives again. Jean reached up behind her, raking her nails through Lucien's bed head. She preferred seeing his hair this way, messy wavy curls free to go every which way. She doubted very many people even knew he had curly hair underneath all that cream. She turned in his arms to find his lips with hers.

Her eyes suddenly popped open. "What time is it?" At his confused look she continued. "It's their first day, Lucien! I can't be late." The newly elected council members were starting their roles today. She started to get up but halted, giving him an apologetic look. "I really must go."

He smiled softly, holding her hand tightly. "Darling, there will be lots of fuss over them today. You don't have to be there first thing." She knew he was right but she still felt the need to be there to welcome them. However...she also felt the need to stay in bed a while longer with her husband. He knew she was close to caving, in his favor. His eyes twinkled and he tugged on her hand, saying softly, "C'mere." She rolled her eyes but smiled. She could never resist that smile of his. Work would have to wait.

* * *

By the time Jean got to Town Hall the new councilmembers were in their offices. All the members were scheduled to meet for lunch in two hours. That gave her just enough time to sort through her desk and take care of any pressing matters. There was quite a crowd of people that had gathered in the lobby. Jean had to work her way through to get to the stairs. Once she got to the top of the stairs, she noticed a man staring at her. She nodded and gave him a nervous smile. "Hello. Can I help you with something?"

The hair on the back of her neck stood as she waited for his reply. There was something about this man's eyes that she couldn't quite figure out. One of her fellow councilmembers called out to her just then, taking her attention away from the man. When she looked back, the man leered at her and said slowly, "Perhaps, someday. Soon. Mrs. Blake." With that he was gone. Jean's heart raced, ever so grateful for her colleague's interruption. She tried to watch the man as he left but he had disappeared into the crowd. She shook her head and joined her colleague. She would call Lucien the first chance she got.

* * *

The knock on her door made her jump. Gripping her chest she yelled, "Come in."

Lucien appeared from behind the door, his smile quickly faded when he saw his wife's paled expression. "Jean?"

She walked over to him, hugging him tightly. "I'm so glad you're here."

He rubbed her back, trying to give her as much comfort as she may need, knowing something must have happened to get her heart rate up like this. "Jean, what happened?"

She took a breath and pulled back. "I'm not sure really." She led him over to the couch and they sat while she told him about her encounter. "I was just about to call you when you knocked." She smiled; grateful he was there in person instead of on the phone.

Lucien worked his jaw back and forth, staring at a spot on the floor. "Do you think it was Donovan?"

Jean let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know! I'm not even sure what he bloody well looks like by now. They said he's likely changed his appearance from the picture they gave us." She rose from the couch and began pacing. "But...yes, the thought had crossed my mind."

Lucien watched her go back and forth a couple times before he got up from the couch and stopped her pacing, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked down at a speck on his jacket, not wanting to let him see the fear in her eyes. He raised his eyebrows and spoke softly, "Right. We have been here before, yes? And we have seen it through. We'll get him." She gave him a sympathetic smile. She knew he was trying to cheer her up but it wasn't working. Not to any fault of his of course, until he brought her chin up with his finger and thumb so that she was forced to look him in the eye. "It'll be alright." That did it. Looking in his eyes instantly made her feel safe, like they could take on the world.

Her smile reached her eyes and she nodded. Tears started to well up in her eyes. "I love you so much, Lucien."

He wrapped his arms around her and swayed the two of them. "Well, I'm rather fond of you too, Jean." Her smile grew just before her lips met his. After a few minutes Lucien began to walk backwards toward the couch as their kisses got more heated. The knock at the door caused him to groan as they broke the kiss. He put his head on her shoulder and she laughed at him. She rubbed his back and said, "Later, dear." She walked to her desk and checked her face in the mirror. "Come in!" Lucien dropped dramatically onto the couch.

Matthew opened the door and smiled knowingly when he saw Lucien. "Jean. Hope I'm not interrupting."

Lucien rolled his eyes. "Hello, Matthew."

"Not at all, Matthew. Always nice to see you. In fact we were about to call you."

His smile faded quickly. "Is that right? What's going on?" He looked from Jean to Lucien.

"I may have had a run in with Donovan today." Matthew opened his mouth to speak but Jean continued, raising her hand to stop him. "I don't know for sure. It was just an…odd encounter." She told him everything she had told Lucien.

Matthew was quiet for a while. He looked at Jean and sat down, appearing to choose his words carefully. "Where exactly were my two men that were supposed to be with you?"

Jean dropped her eyes to the floor quickly. She should have guessed he would be asking about them. "I told them they could go to the café next door for breakfast. I thought I'd be alright in this building. I have lots of people looking out for me here." She knew what was coming. Her reasoning and excuse sounded empty and ridiculous even to her.

Matthew smiled and looked at Lucien, nodding his head. "Does that sound smart to you?"

Lucien started to answer but was immediately cut off. "Matthew-"

Matthew raised his hand. "It was a rhetorical question." He rose from the chair and began pacing. "It was rhetorical because all of us know it wasn't a good idea, even Jean." He sighed heavily and stopped. "You realize that's what he's waiting for? For you to stuff up. I need you to be smart. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times." She nodded but continued to look at the ground. He decided that was enough of a lashing.

"Okay, moving on. From now on, my two men do not leave your side outside of your home. Understood?"

"Yes, Matthew. Understood."

He walked over to Jean and put a hand on her shoulder. "I get enough heartburn from your husband over there." She smiled and nodded. He grabbed a piece of paper and pen from her desk and sat back down. "Now, tell me what this man looked like." The telephone interrupted them. It was the station for Matthew. There had been a dead body found just outside of town. Matthew told Lucien he needed to go with him as well. Seeing Lucien's hesitation, Matthew assured him his men would take good care of her. "I'll wait out front for you. Jean, my men will be right outside your door." He shut the door behind him, giving the two some privacy.

Jean nodded and got up to join Lucien at the door. "I'll be fine. You need to go to work." She smoothed the lapels of his jacket. Lucien's hands gripped her hips as he waited for her to meet his eyes.

"I don't like this, Jean. Something feels off." She smiled and kissed him.

"You're just paranoid because of my earlier incident."

"Can you blame me?"

"No. But, Lucien, Matthew's men will make sure I get home." She gave him her best seductive smile. "And I'll be waiting for you. So, hurry home."

He smiled and kissed her. "Bloody hell." He kissed her nose. "Be careful."

"I will. You too. See you soon." She watched him go down the hallway. He looked back, happy to see the police were already at her door but still had a horrible feeling about leaving her.


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you for the reviews. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

It was a relatively easy call; which Lucien was grateful for as he couldn't stop thinking about his wife. The body was a man in his late sixties. A woman passing by stopped her car when she saw the man lying on the side of the road. Lucien suspected the cause of death to be heart disease. He was correct.

Alice saw him look at his watch again. "Go home, Lucien. I can finish up."

He smiled at her. "That obvious?"

She huffed a laugh. "Just a little. That must have been the twentieth time you checked your watch since you came back with the body."

Lucien sighed. "I'm sorry, Alice."

"Nonsense! Go. Be with your wife." She winked at him which made him smile.

He took off his lab coat and walked over to her. "Thank you, Alice." He kissed her head as he left, catching her off guard and making her blush.

* * *

Lucien's heart sank when he didn't see the police car out front. He frowned and scanned the front area as he got out of the car. He opened the front door quickly yelling Jean's name. He went room by room, turning on lights as he did so. His heart was racing. It was after nine o'clock and he thought she would certainly be home by now. He cursed himself. He knew it didn't feel right leaving her earlier. He hurried over to the phone to call Matthew. It seemed like an eternity before Matthew answered. "Matthew!" His voice was shaky and distraught.

"Lucien? What is it? Are you okay?"

"Matthew, it's Jean-" Just then he heard her voice outside as she was laughing with the officers. Lucien let out a sob and hunched over. "Matthew I'm so sorry. I thought..."

Matthew didn't really understand what was going on but he was sure he got the gist. "It's okay, mate. I'll talk to you later."

He hung up the phone as Jean walked in the front door. He tried to pull himself together before Jean saw him but was unsuccessful. "Lucien?" His pale color and red eyes alarmed her.

His smile did little to quell her worry. He cleared his throat before speaking. "It's nothing, Jean."

She reached for him and felt him shaking. "It's not nothing." She stroked his bearded cheek. "Tell me."

Shaking his head slowly he reached for her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He felt ridiculous for overreacting. His embarrassment had him avoiding her eyes. "I came home and you weren't here yet."

She knew instantly what he must've thought and she felt guilty. "I'm so sorry, Lucien. I honestly didn't think you would be home for another few hours."

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for. I jumped to conclusions." He closed the distance between them and held her tight.

After a long while Jean pulled back enough to look him in the eye, gauging his recovery. He seemed better but drained. She kissed him softly, stroking the side of his head. When she ended the kiss, she asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Not really, no. You?"

"No, we already ate."

"Bed then?"

"Yes, I think today was a bit much for both of us."

"Indeed." He patted her bum as they walked to their room. "It started pretty well though." He winked.

She smiled as she remembered their morning. She bumped his hip with hers. "Yes, it did, didn't it?" She winked as she squeezed her hand that was resting at his hip.

"By the way, where are Peter and Amy?"

"Didn't I tell you? They went to Melbourne for a long weekend."

"Ah. That's getting pretty serious then, eh?"

Her smile was her only answer as she went ahead of him to their bathroom to get ready for bed.

He watched her with an adoring smile until the door closed. He changed into his night clothes and got onto his side of the bed. He closed his eyes and shook his head lightly as he replayed the day's events.

Jean opened the bathroom door and began talking to Lucien while she checked herself in the mirror. She looked to the bed when he didn't answer her. The sight before her almost made tear up. Lucien was sleeping already, softly snoring, one arm stretched out on her side of the bed and his other arm propped under his head. She didn't know how long she stood there watching him before she walked over to his side of the bed. She gently stroked his hair back from his forehead and kissed it. It was enough to wake him. She whispered, "I'm sorry. I didn't want to wake you."

Through heavy lids he looked up at her and groggily said, "I'm glad you did. I didn't want to go to sleep before you came to bed." He reached for her, pulling her onto the bed and rolling them over so he was lying half on top of her, his head resting on her stomach. Her shriek and giggle at the sudden movement brought a dopey grin to his face. He turned his head and kissed her stomach. "Goodnight, my love."

She smiled and stroked his head. "Sweet dreams, dear." He didn't hear her response though because he was already fast asleep again. It wasn't long before she followed him in slumber as well.

* * *

Lucien sat at the table reading the paper while Jean made their breakfast. "Lucien, ask Matthew's men to come in and get some food."

He smiled at her motherly instinct to make sure the men were fed and put the paper down on the table. "Yes, dear." He didn't see anyone when he opened the door. "Hello?" The hair on the back of his neck stood up and he knew something was wrong. Just as he headed back inside, something hit him on the head, causing him to stumble and pass out on the hallway floor.

Jean heard the commotion and came running. Her heart stopped when she saw Lucien's body lying on the ground and Donovan standing over him. "Hello, Mrs. Blake. Your husband is just taking a little nap. I can make it so he doesn't ever wake up unless of course you'd like to come with me." Her body was shaking and a sob escaped her as she slowly nodded. "That's a good girl. Come along now." She walked toward them and slowed as she passed by Lucien. There was a bit of blood coming from a wound on his head but he looked okay otherwise. She realized she had stopped moving when Donovan grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door.

When they got into the car, Jean started to think of a strategy to end this. He made her drive as he kept a gun on her. She wondered what his plan could possibly be.

Matthew and Alice drove up to the Blake's and knew something was wrong when they saw the front door open. Matthew told Alice to stay in the car as he went to investigate. Lucien was beginning to come to just as Matthew saw him. "Lucien?" He crouched down as best as he could with his bad leg.

Lucien moaned and reached for his head. "Jean."

When Lucien tried to get up, Matthew stopped him. "No you don't. You stay right there. I'm going to look around." Matthew made sure the house was clear and then went out to get Alice and call on the radio for help. "Alice, check on Lucien. I'm going to look for my men that should have been out here." At her silent question, he continued, "Jean's not here."

Alice and Lucien were still on the floor when Matthew came in and met Alice's eyes. She noticed his somber expression and wondered what he found. He tried to avoid telling them what happened to his men and looked to Lucien. "How you doing? Ready to work?"

He answered with a shaky voice. "Try and stop me. Your men?"

Matthew closed his eyes and gently shook his head. "Beaumont didn't make it. Baker should be okay though."

Lucien's head sank into his hands. "Damn it." Alice reached for Matthew's hand to try to give him some comfort. "So, this bastard _takes_ Jean? He wanted her dead, why would he take her?! Where the hell do we even begin to look for her, Matthew?" His voice broke toward the end of his question.

Matthew shook his head and Alice put her other hand on Lucien's shoulder. "We should probably start with getting you off the floor, Lucien." Then she noticed something on the ground just below the coat rack. "Wait, what is that over there, Matthew?" She pointed to it and he hobbled over to pick up a book of matches.

Lucien squinted at it. "That wouldn't be any of ours."

Matthew read the name on the cover. "That's a hotel in Bungaree. Could this have fallen from Donovan's pocket?"

"Bungaree? That's what, about 10 miles from here? I think we found our start." Lucien got a jolt of adrenaline, hoping this was their lead they would need to find Jean. Matthew and Alice helped Lucien up from the floor and quickly headed for the car.


End file.
